Still I Run Right Into You
by thatgirljazz
Summary: The five times Mako accidentally ends up in Raleigh's room and the one time she does it on purpose.


_A/N: For Dana, I hope this is sort of what you wanted! I've never done this style before, but I always wanted to. The only way I could make the prompt work was by using different emotions to drive why Mako would end up in his room, hopefully that comes across! I tried to insert into the canonverse, sort of. Enjoy and please give feedback!_

_Still I Run Right Into You_ or T_he Five Times Mako Accidentally Ends up in Raleigh's Room and the One Time She Does It on Purpose_

**drive: the determination and ambition of a person to achieve something**

It's insanity in the Shatterdome, but it's the end of the world, so that should be expected. Today is different though. Raleigh Becket has arrived and that means all of her work will soon come into action. Mako's looking over her list for the millionth time. Maybe if she stares at it long enough, her name will appear on the list of candidates. Sensei knows how much she wants this. She understands his desire to protect her, but she is grown now and they don't have many options. Still, she respects his decision, even though she's itching to be in a Jaeger. She walks through the doorway and stares at the bed. That's not her bag. This isn't her room. This is Mr. Becket's room. She feels a jolt in her stomach. Checking the hallway first, she scampers back to her room. Mako shuts the door behind her and leans up against it, pressing the clipboard into her chest as she lets out a sigh of relief. Little does she know, Raleigh Becket is smirking outside her door.

**em·bar·rass·ment: a feeling of self-consciousness, shame, or awkwardness**

Mako takes a moment to gather herself, before going to inspect the Jaegers with Tendo again. Once she's gone over all the details, all the specs, all her hard work, then she can let it go. There's much more important things to focus on. They're so close to the end of all this. As they sit on the edge of the knife, she wants peace so badly she can almost taste it. She can't even remember what it feels like. Did it ever exist? She doesn't even know anymore. She shakes her head and turns the corner.

She heads for her room and bumps into something solid, no, someone. She looks up and sees Raleigh. Her dark eyes focus on his face, but then run down his sculpted bare torso. Even with the scars, his body is impressive. Oh, no. She's staring. The heat burns from the back of her neck to her cheeks as his blue eyes just stare at her, amused. He caught her looking, of course he did. She opens her mouth, but nothing comes out. What is she supposed to say?

"Miss Mori."

That's not Raleigh's voice. That's...

"Marshall, this isn't anything-"

Raleigh is silenced by Sensei's piercing glare. She looks so flushed and he's shirtless.

"Sorry!" she squeaks and runs into her room just as Sensei is lecturing Raleigh on appropriate behavior in the Shatterdome.

**shel·ter: a place giving temporary protection **

How could she let this happen? People could've been killed. She's been training so long to be a Ranger and her first neural handshake is a complete disaster. Why did she chase the rabbit? They told her not to. Why didn't she prepare herself? She wanted to prove so much to everyone in the Shatterdome, especially Sensei and all she proved was that she couldn't do this.

Mako stumbles in the room and falls to the floor. The tears she refused to let fall in Sensei's office slide down her cheeks. Her dream, her life debt to Sensei, her vow to avenge her parents, all of that is gone. Her eyes burn as the tears sting her eyes. No matter how many tears she sheds, the weight in her chest doesn't dissolve. It only feels heavier.

"Mako."

She looks up, vision blurry with fresh tears as Raleigh steps in. She's about to tell him that she can't talk to him right now and for him to leave, but then she sees the photo of him and his brother on the desk. She's too disappointed in herself to even feel embarrassed; only more shame. She staggers to her feet and brushes past him to her room. There's nothing left to say.

**se·ren·i·ty: the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled **

When she goes into the mess hall, she expects it to just add to the disaster of the day, but Raleigh proves her wrong. He actually does make it better. She didn't think that was possible earlier. Whatever their connection was when he walked off the helicopter has only amplified now because of the Drift. She shouldn't have judged him so harshly for his tactics. Even though it was a trial, the simulations never prepared her for what the Drift truly felt like and he was trying to tell her that. He wasn't being arrogant like Chuck, even though Mako's sure there's a whole history of other things going on with him. It's hard to put into words or even thoughts, but having Raleigh know about her past and having that bond of loss, as painful as it is, lifts the weight she's been carrying even if it's only a little. They listen to music together and it soothes her. The ache in her chest is gone for now. She decides to go back to her room and hopes the calms she feels can stay just a little while. She hangs in the doorway and her eyes widen. Why does she keep doing this? This isn't her room. Raleigh is at the end of the hallway and simply lifts his eyebrows.

"I just wanted to say thank you," she covers for herself pretty quickly, "I was going to wait for you to come back."

"I see," there's a hint of a smirk forming on his lips because he isn't buying it. Not one bit, but he doesn't say anything. She mentally thanks him for that too. "Well, you don't have to thank me. I wanted to make sure you were okay."

Mako smiles, dimples showing. She gives him a slight nod which he returns.

"Oh, just a second," Raleigh fishes through his bag and pulls out an mp3 device, handing it to her," there's a song I wanted you to listen to. It'll probably make you laugh, but Yancy and I used to rock out to it all the time before missions."

"But I'm not going on a mission," Mako says quietly. The ache is coming back, pressing down on her heart.

"Then just listen to it to make you laugh," Raleigh's blue eyes meet her dark ones. She nods and takes the player.

**pulse: a musical beat or other regular rhythm**

Mako lies down on her cot and closes her eyes. The song he gave her is 's steady guitar and drums, but the singer screeches instead of singing. Maybe that's the point. She bobs her head to the sound of the rhythmic sound of drums. She can see why he says it might make her laugh. The projected image of the singer being so rough and an outsider takes itself a little too seriously. Still, she sees why it would motivate them.

A half an hour later...

"I'm on the highway to hell! No stop signs, speed limit. Nobody's gonna slow me down!" she dances around her limited space and opens the door. It's getting late enough that she should have some privacy, but right now, she doesn't care. She's having fun with the song. She jumps up and tries to do air guitar, but she's never really done that much before. She has a feeling that Raleigh is much more practiced. She tries to lip synch and closes her eyes, trying her best to be a hard rock singer. It's an escape and she'll take it why it lasts. She stumbles over something and is propelled backwards. Raleigh catches her as she falls into his room. She feels the heat burning in her cheeks, but tries to laugh it off this time.

"Guess you liked the song," he helps her back up.

"Yes! I do," she pulls the earbuds out of her ears and hands him the player. "It did make me laugh though. The singer doesn't really sing."

"No, he doesn't," Raleigh laughs. "I like your dance moves."

Mako shrugs sheepishly and laughs. "I'll see you later."

Raleigh smiles and nods.

**cel·e·bra·tion: the action of marking one's pleasure at an important event or occasion **

They saved the world. Everyone is cheering and patting them on the back. Mako always wanted to prove herself, but she never imagined it like this. She looks at Raleigh who looks just as surprised. She couldn't count the sea of smiles and thanks if she tried. It's all so much. She's so grateful, but the victory was not without significant loss. She wonders if Raleigh feels that too. He must. She looks over, but he's not there. He must've found a gap in the crowd and disappeared. She can't blame him. She thanks the people around her and wedges her way through different people jumping up and down, crying with happiness.

She finds him in his room, just like she thought she would. His eyes linger on the photo of him and his brother. She knocks on the doorway, not wanting to invade the moment. Raleigh looks up and his smile reaches his blue eyes.

"We did it," he says, stepping back so she can come in. She nods and steps forward.

"You did an amazing-"

"I can barely handle the compliments out there, but I can't accept one from you. You had my back every step of the way."

"Not at the end."

"The fact you have less lung capacity and were low on oxygen really isn't your fault."

Mako can see that he really won't let her compliment him. There's no fighting him on this. He only wants to take mutual credit. She has to thank him somehow. He saved her life.

She moves closer to him and he's quiet. She wouldn't have done this out in the water. She didn't even think of it, no matter how happy she is. So much has happened in this little room that it has to happen here. It has to belong to them and them alone. She's not sure if it's the Drift hangover or if he just wants it as much as she does, but the second she jumps up, he catches her as her mouth crashes against his. She wraps her arms tighter around his neck. She doesn't want to let go. She tries to hold on longer until her lungs are screaming for air. They pull back from one another. His forehead rests on hers as they catch their breath.

Raleigh leans down and gives her a quick, but gentle kiss. When they part, he pulls her into his chest and rests his chin on her head. Mako doesn't know what to say, but he isn't speaking either. Words have rendered themselves unnecessary, but the steady beat of his heart against her ears is enough.


End file.
